Development Rumours

[Halifax Hillbilly]

I think if you look at what has been built in this city it's clear that the desire for height is driving up the price of land in some cases. Buildings like the Sheraton Four Points and Salter's Gate are both under viewplanes. You have the certainty of knowing you can build to x height. Since high rises aren't even a remote possiblility in these places the land isn't worth as much and a four storey building becomes economical.

There are a number of buldings (Salter's Gate, Bishop's Landing, Sheraton Four Points, W suites, the heritage rip-off on Brunswick) which suggest that it's economical to develop low rise in downtown Halifax if developers don't break the bank on land expecting to put up a high rise. If HRMbyDesigns height restrictions come into place some developers will lose money because they invested in land expecting to build a building they now can't. Density transfers might be a way out of that problem, we'll see what HRMbyDesign comes up with.

There should have been no uncertainty in the Midtown case. The fact that project got approved was ridiculous. Council approved the project despite the fact that it obviously did not conform to the MPS. In the case of the Brewery Tower they were again attempting to build something the MPS just did not allow. I don't see why they were so shocked when council stalled the project.

I get the impression United Gulf was very confident they would make it through council and the URB. Council rubber stamped the development agreement after selling the TexPark site and I don't think Heritage Trust had a snowball's hope in hell of winning that case. The MPS may be vague and criptic but United Gulf was smart enough to find a spot they could build a tower and went ahead and did it.

[worldlyhaligonian]

The towers aren't built yet, lets just hope that UG can accomplish their plans with no issues. These towers could be a benchmark and may attract more interest in these sorts of developments, hopefully thwarting alot of the actions of NIMBYs and the Heritage Trust.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

The towers aren't built yet, lets just hope that UG can accomplish their plans with no issues. These towers could be a benchmark and may attract more interest in these sorts of developments, hopefully thwarting alot of the actions of NIMBYs and the Heritage Trust.

If HRMbyDesign works out as planned it should end a lot of the downtown conflicts. If it works out ...

With the viewplanes set up the way they are there aren't too many places to do a project like this. If HRMbyDesign moves ahead with their guidelines downtown there will be most likely less opportunities outside of the Cogswell lands. This could be a very unique building for that area of town.

[citiguy]

Sorry I put it under the wrong topic......I heard that the block that currently had BMO, TD, second cup on Spring Garden between Queen and Brunswick is going to get redevelopment. Has anyone heard about this?

[someone123]

That has been talked about for a while but I don't know what form the development would take. The developer at one point speculated that he'd look at it in 2008 or so, but I don't know if that means he would start working on the proposal at that point or if concrete plans are already being made.

[skyscraper_1]

Chocolate factory turning into mall

Southwest Properties Ltd. has officially bought the former Moirs chocolate factory in Dartmouth and plans to turn it into a retail complex. The company had announced the sale previously and has just finalized the agreement.

Southwest announced Wednesday that it is ready to sign leases with future tenants. One tenant has already signed on to occupy 70,000 square feet of the 180,000 square feet available. Company president and COO Gordon Laing said the tenant's identity will be kept under wraps until the new year.

Southwest is also looking at trying to attract retailers such as hardware stores and drugstores. It's also possible a chain restaurant or two will locate on the site.

Moirs workers will be on the job until late December; owners Hershey will shift production to Mexico.

(For full story, see Thursday's edition of The Daily News.)

http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=82364&sc=96

[Canadian_Bacon]

^ I'm not surprised. That building has mall written all over it. I drove by the factory awhile back and me and my dad were saying how that place would make a great mall. So I'm not surprised at all.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by citiguy

Sorry I put it under the wrong topic......I heard that the block that currently had BMO, TD, second cup on Spring Garden between Queen and Brunswick is going to get redevelopment. Has anyone heard about this?

Danny Chedrawe (Gladstone Ridge among others) owns the block with the exception of the TD Bank building. His original plans were to build on top of the building currently containing BMO and Rogues Roost to add 5-6 storeys for a boutique hotel. If he can acquire the TD building that might change.

There was a small rendering on the old official Halifax thread.

[Jonovision]

I didn't know where else to post this, but I noticed tonight that there are some really cool lighting displays put on the waterfront side of the new NSCAD campus. They're big lines that interchange green and red for christmas. They look like something from hong kong.

[xxFamilyGuyxx]

You probly should of posted it in the "general" section.

[Wishblade]

Theres a public hearing coming up on a 13 story development on Windmill rd that I read in the paper today. Does anybody know any more about this development?

[someone123]

Does this look like the development?

Jan. 14, 2008 Public Information Meeting
Shannon Park Elementary School Library
7 Iroquois Drive, Dartmouth - 7:00 p.m.
Case 01097 - Application by 3030558 N.S. Ltd. to enter into a development agreement to permit an apartment building at 719-721 Windmill Road at Wright’s Cove in Dartmouth.

There's no staff report up yet.

[Jonovision]

I saw that today too! It's suppose to be in Wrights Cove? So would it be an addition to the Sheppards Island development?

[sdm]

Housing in an industrial park? This city is so backwards......

[Jonovision]

I was drivin around today and noticed a big hole at the corner of North and Agricola?! Any idea what that is for?

[someone123]

It's for a four or five storey apartment building. The other construction site on that block is for the Time + Space Media building.

[sdm]

Seeing information on Pier 22 stating they are developing 60,000 square feet of office space... Interesting.

[skyscraper_1]

Originally Posted by sdm

Seeing information on Pier 22 stating they are developing 60,000 square feet of office space... Interesting.

Do you know if it will be new construction or in an existing building? How does 60,000 sq feet compare to 1801 Hollis or Purdy's Wharf

[someone123]

60,000 square feet is significant but much smaller than an office tower. I don't know how much is in 1801 Hollis but the Maritime Centre is 560,000 square feet (not sure if that's total or leasable office space).

Even so, interesting news. I think it is important that they have a good mix of uses in the seawall area.

Hopefully over the next few years there will be new buildings on sites like the ones owned by NSP to tie in the seawall with the downtown.

[Haliguy]

Has anyone else heard rumors that Home Depot has bought land by Spring Garden on Clyde St. in back of Mills Brothers Cleaves, etc?